A day after Delhi logged its highest daily count of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, health minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday that it is too early to say the national capital is witnessing the third wave of Covid-19 cases but that it is possible “we are already in that phase.”
Jain’s remark came a day after Delhi recorded more than 5,000 new cases of Covid-19 for the first time. The 5,673 new infections on Wednesday have taken the Capital’s tally of cases due to the disease to 370,014, including 6,396 fatalities.
“It is too early to say that Delhi is experiencing the third wave of Covid-19 cases. We must wait for another week in order to definitively say that, but it is possible we’re already in that phase,” Jain told news agency ANI. “We’ve made some changes to our strategy. Now, when a person tests positive, we also test his entire family and close contacts. We do this not once, but twice – the second time after four-five days,” he added.
The 5,673 infections Delhi recorded on Wednesday was the second straight day it witnessed its highest single-day spike. On Tuesday, Delhi had logged 4,853 cases, which was its highest single-day tally since 4,473 on September 16. In fact, the national capital has consistently logged more than 4,000 cases daily in the last few days.
Officials have attributed the recent spike to re-opening of public places and the ongoing festive season. There are concerns this could lead to a fresh surge of cases not just in Delhi, but across the country.
On Wednesday, in view of the Capital’s coronavirus situation, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had announced that all schools will remain closed till further orders. Schools were ordered to stay closed till October 31 before that.
